New Scam Targets ATM Users In Clearwater: Police

CLEARWATER, FL — Police are warning against a new ATM scam that led to a recent arrest in Clearwater.

Officers have noticed that suspects have intentionally jammed ATMs with quarters, metal or paper so that they’re unusable.

Then, “posing as good Samaritans,” the suspects offer to help people trying to use the ATMs by showing them how to use the tap function rather than inserting their card, Clearwater police wrote in a social media post.

These suspects take the victim’s card, tap it, switch it out with another stolen card and then hand it back to them, police said. During this time, they also memorized the card’s PIN.

The suspects use the card at other locations to steal money from the card’s account.

Officers “helped to nab two suspects red-handed” at a bank at Sunset Point Road and Old Coachman Road, police said.

They were arrested on several charges, while a third suspect is being sought.

The victim called police when he realized he had been scammed.

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